Method of creating a frictional washing surface

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of concurrently creating a frictional washing surface and joining the frictional washing surface to the surface of a housing material for a sealable waterproof bag for washing one or more textile items, the method including: i) applying a quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material for the sealable bag; ii) positioning a tool on the quantity of the polymer, the tool including a void region containing depressions and/or projections complementary to the shape of the frictional washing surface; and iii) applying heat and/or a current and/or a frequency to the tool to soften the polymer and allow it to form the shape of the frictional washing surface and concurrently join the frictional washing surface to the housing material for the sealable bag.

The claims defining the invention are as follows: 
     
       1. A method of concurrently creating a frictional washing surface and joining the frictional washing surface to the surface of a housing material for a sealable waterproof bag for washing one or more textile items, the method including:
 i) Applying a quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material for the sealable bag; 
 ii) Positioning a tool on the quantity of the polymer, the tool including a void region containing depressions and/or projections complementary to the shape of the frictional washing surface to be produced; and 
 iii) Applying heat and/or a current and/or a frequency to the tool to soften the polymer and allow it to form the shape of the frictional washing surface and concurrently join the frictional washing surface to the housing material for the sealable bag. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the void region of the tool has a volume between 2,000 mm 3  and 400,000 mm 3 . 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is composed of aluminium, steel, titanium, copper, iron, or a composite or alloy including any one or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein step iii) includes applying a current or frequency of approximately 27.12 mHz. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing material includes a fabric with a fabric or fibre denier between 0.5 and 600, between 1 and 300, between 25 and 220, or between 50 and 100, and/or the fibre is a microfibre with a denier less than 0.5. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a ripstop fabric, a Cordura fabric, a Kodra fabric, an Oxford weave fabric, a Taffeta fabric, a CTF 3  fabric or a Cuban fabric. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a nylon fabric, an acrylic fabric, a polyester fabric or vinyl fabric, the fabric coated on at least one side or impregnated with PVC, polyurethane, silicone or latex. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing material includes the same polymer type as the polymer applied to the surface of the housing material. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further including concurrently creating a grip surface on a surface of the housing material backing at least a portion of the position of the frictional washing surface, the method including the further step of:
 iv) allowing some of the quantity of polymer to pass through the housing material to form the grip surface during step iii); 
 v) or applying a second quantity of a polymer to the surface of the housing material backing at least a portion of the position of the frictional washing surface, wherein the second quantity of polymer is also joined to the housing material during step iii). 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer referenced in any of the foregoing claims includes a polymer with a dielectric constant greater than 1 or greater than 2. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group including: polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, EVA or ABS plastics. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of polymer is provided as a sheet of polymer. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sheet of polymer has an average thickness between 0.2 mm and 3 mm. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sheet of polymer has an average thickness between 0.8 mm and 1.4 mm. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing material includes synthetic of natural fibres. 
     
     
       16. The method of any one of  claim 15 , wherein the fibres are part of a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, filament, thread or yarn. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fibres, filament, thread, yarn or fabric are coated, encapsulated or impregnated with a polymer.